5 Questions with Tynan DeLong
1) What have you been up to since we last spoke in August of last year?
Nothing much ~ got a haircut, went to Taiwan, reorganized my Janet Jackson records, removed my teeth, etc. Made this series where I interviewed kids. I also shot a bunch of shit toward the end of last year and have spent the first part of this year editing & wrapping those projects up. "What shit?" you're probably over there asking...well, let's just say Howie Mandel is coming back to the stand up stage and I couldn't be happier to facilitate it *sunglasses guy emoji*
2) What’s the backstory - what was the initial idea and how did it evolve from there?
Mmm well I really wanted to make a vehicle for Brian Fiddyment, who is one of my favorite actors & comedians around. I also really wanted to do something with my good friend's dog Marti, who is one of my favorite dogs around. I had been dogsitting him a lot last year while my buddy was out of town, so the basis for the short came from that experience, just kind of daydreaming and thinking "there's gotta be a dogwalker who's gotten obsessed with a client's dog." It was an idea that really lit me up. Brian worked as a dog runner, so it just all came together beautifully. From there, I just built it out with some personal interests of Brian's (freestyle rapping, bodybuilding) and created an emotional arc exploring the inability to accept change or let go. Then I found a throw pillow that said "I'd Rather Drink Wine and Pet My Dog" and finally, the short was ready for production.
3) What was the biggest challenge in making this film? And, on the flip side, what was the easiest part?
Honestly this one was one of the smoothest productions I've been a part of and a big reason for that is talented crew I was gracious enough to collaborate with, especially producer extraordinaire Sarah Wilson, who really helped kept the machine well-oiled and humming along. No massive hurdles on this one. I guess we were running out of daylight on the first day of shooting, so things got a little hurried toward the end, but that feels like a given with most shoots anyway. Otherwise, it was really easy and fun to work with this cast and crew, who all knelt down at the altar and killed their ego in a glorious fashion before they stepped on set. Even the dog.
4) What’s a film you’ve seen recently, new or old, that you really loved and why?
Well, I know it's not a "film" film, but I finally watched the Leftovers and it was a game changer for me. Plowed through the entire series in like 4 days. You know there's a handful of times in life you're gonna get your shit rocked by a piece of art and this one flipped my wig forever. It broke my heart, set it on fire and put it back in my hollowed chest. It's a love story wrapped in an ayhuasca trip that examines all the walls we put up to protect ourselves in the throes of grief with a fine tooth comb. I'm still reeling and I can only hope to make something that's a fraction of what that show meant to me.
5) What’s next for you?
Starting work on my new screenplay "Quaranteen", the story of a father who's forced to reconnect with his estranged son after they get locked down together during the quarantine.
But seriously ~ if I ever get out of this place, the factory shall restart production. Until then, I'll keep trying to get my entire block to join in my nightly Ed Sheeran "Shape of You" sing-a-longs to help boost morale, but more importantly, to help me go viral.
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